Late Again
by katyedavis
Summary: You should never apologize for being the smartest in your house...even if you're only in your second year.


**A/N: This is Round 5 of the Quidditch League Fan Fiction Competition and we were to write about a certain character experiencing a certain school year. I wrote about Barty Crouch Jr. in his second year. My prompts are:**

 **#3: (word) plethora  
#7: (word) endurance  
#10: (color) bronze**

 _Late Again_

 _1974- Second Year_

Barty Crouch Jr. raced through the halls to his first class of the day. A class that he was late to, of course. He had never been late to a class before and he knew that if his father found out about it that he would have a lot of things to say. Although, he wouldn't say much. He would just yell at him for being completely irresponsible and giving the family a bad name. Just the thought of his voice raised above a normal level gave Barty the shivers.

"You're late," Slughorn pointed out once the door shut behind Barty.

Everyone turned to look at who had entered the classroom more than five minutes late. The Gryffindor's snickered and teased the lonely boy who just nodded before sitting down next to another Ravenclaw, Barbara. He couldn't remember her last name but he didn't really care. He was trying to avoid all the eyes that stared through to his core as he got out his parchment for the lesson. The Ravenclaw's were very embarrassed by his lack of punctuality but not as embarrassed as when they realized that Barty had not brought his book to class. At least he brought his cauldron.

"Everyone, there will be a pop exam today. I want to see how many of you have been doing your homework," Slughorn announced.

Everyone took their cauldrons and put them on the desk in front of them. They began opening their books one by one. All except Barty.

"Where is your book, Barty my boy?" Slughorn questioned as he came up to his desk.

"I don't need it, professor," Barty answered meekly.

"Why ever not?"

"I remember all the potions we needed to know for homework, professor," Barty answered confidently.

Slughorn just nodded, even though he was unsure of how he managed to remember the plethora of potions that he had assigned practice to over the past couple of months.

"Then let us begin. Sleeping Draught!" Slughorn shouted so that the class could hear him and he watched as they all began but kept an eye on Barty Crouch.

Barty had proven that he didn't need the book and managed to finish the Sleeping Draught potion perfectly with one go. Barbara, the Ravenclaw that he had sat next to, looked at him in disgust. He was making all the other Ravenclaw's look like fools and amateurs. This twelve year old was beating students in years ahead of him and it made her sick. It wasn't just her that was disgusted but the entire Ravenclaw house was quite irritated with the fact that Barty knew more than they did.

He was close to the limit of his endurance by the time he reached the common room from his house mates. He was used to being picked on for his smarts but he had almost had enough.

"Oy, Crouch!" Some Ravenclaw shouted after him as he attempted to flee up the stairs.

He knew he had to fight this battle sooner or later but he really wasn't in the mood right now. Although, he was never in the mood. Not for these idiots.

"Yes, what is it?" Barty asked, clearly irritated.

"You made us all look like a bunch of idiots!" She shouted, fixing her bronze colored hair behind her ears.

"I did no such thing. I simply showed up prepared," he answered casually.

"Yeah, except you weren't! What kind of example are we to set if you show up unprepared without a text book to work with?" Another Ravenclaw argued.

The most interesting thing was that he was the youngest student in advanced potions and, even though it was expected to come from Ravenclaw's, Barty Jr. was the youngest that had ever come up in potions like that. He knew that his housemates were bound to be bitter about that ordeal but he didn't care. He wasn't doing it to impress them. He was doing it to impress his father. Something that he still hadn't managed to do no matter how hard he tried. Was isolation from everyone else going to get him the kind of pride he desired from his father? Probably not but it never hurt to try.

"I didn't embarrass you. You did that to yourselves," he watched their reactions closely.

They were mad, of course, but who wouldn't be? They were insulted!

"We were setting an example, Crouch! Just like you should be," The bronze haired Ravenclaw spat at him.

"If you're so worried about being outdone by a second year while you're in your fifth year of schooling then perhaps you need to better your studying techniques. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be in my room doing my homework." Barty put emphasis on homework as he ran up the stairs.

He didn't stay behind to watch their faces but he could hear the shouting along with the lists of insults being directed at him. He frowned the moment he reached the serene atmosphere of his bedroom that would soon be filled with classmates who were still angry with him. Barty wanted friends desperately but he knew that he couldn't have everything he wanted. While he was in dire need of friends, he was desiring something a little more fulfilling back home. Barty wanted to see pride radiating from his father's face and he was willing to isolate himself in order to achieve it.

"I will be something to be proud of," he whispered to himself. "I know it."


End file.
